The invention relates to an apparatus for use in disposing of human waste and is more particularly concerned with a commode capable of incinerating waste.
In the field of human waste disposal, a number of methods have been employed for disposing of the solid and liquid waste. Commonly, sewage treatment plants are provided which are connected via sewage pipelines to domestic and commercial facilities. As population has increased, the capabilities of the sewage treatment plants have been severely strained. In remote areas where sewage treatment facilities are not available, septic tank means are often employed to dispose of the human waste. A septic tank utilizes bacterial action in the tank to dispose of solid waste and utilizes a subterranean drainage field for disposing of the liquid waste. However, in certain areas where the soil conditions are not satisfactory, utilization of septic tanks creates unhealthy conditions in their use. A number of municipalities have adopted strict codes to regulate the use of septic tanks.
In remote areas where a sewage treatment facility is not available and wherein septic tanks are not feasible, oxidation ponds are employed to dispose of human waste. In utilizing oxidation ponds, a fungus is utilized to dispose of the solid waste with the liquid waste being disposed of through evaporation or surface drainage means. The use of oxidation ponds requires a large ground area and is unattractive in appearance.
A number of attempts have been made to devise chemical and incinerating commode facilities for use in disposing of human waste. However, the prior art chemical and incinerating human waste disposal apparatuses are extremely complex in construction and operation, uneconomical to manufacture and unreliable in performance. A primary disadvantage of prior art incinerating commodes is the cyclic time required to complete an incinerating operation and cool the commode for use.
The inventor has personally worked over twenty years in devising improvements in incinerating commodes. The inventor has received U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,816,857; 3,885,254; 3,855,645; and 3,911,506 each encompassing improvements in incinerating commode technology. However, while these prior commodes worked for their intended purpose, the cycle time, heat of combustion, and cleaning of the commode bowl all could be improved. The inventor has worked diligently in producing an economical and operational feasible incinerating commode.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an incinerating commode which has an improved cycle time for the incineration of the waste.
Another object of this invention is to provide an incineration commode that uses a combustible fluid to improve the efficiency of the incineration of human waste.
Another object of this invention is to provide an incineration commode that separates the urine component from the fecal component of human waste to cause the fecal component to burn more efficiently.
Another object of this invention is to provide an incineration commode that uses the separated urine component mixed with a cleaning fluid to cool and steam clean the chamber in which the fecal component is incinerated.
Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to regulate the burn of the fecal matter to ensure a quick and even burn, hence decreasing the burn cycle time.
The present invention contemplates a novel and improved commode for the incineration of human waste. The present invention is improved over prior art incinerating commodes by the utilization of at least one of the following or a combination thereof: injecting a combustible fluid into the chamber where the waste is incinerated; separating the urine component from the fecal component of human waste; or maintaining a constant air pressure within the fecal matter burn chamber to ensure a quick and even burn of the fecal matter.
In one embodiment, a combustible fluid is injected into the chamber that burns the waste. This combustible fluid mixed with the waste burns more efficiently because the combustible fluid decreases the amount of time needed to incinerate the waste. The invention further contemplates separating the urine and fecal components of human waste. Since the urine component of human waste inhibits the incineration of the fecal component, the efficiency of the incineration process is increased when the urine component is removed.
In addition to increasing the efficiency of the incineration process, separating the urine component has the added advantage of providing a fluid that can be used to cool the chamber in which the fecal component is incinerated and also utilizes the urine which otherwise would require burning. The urine component mixed with a cleaning fluid can be sprayed onto the incineration chamber to steam clean and cool the chamber. This process reduces the amount of time in which the commode cannot be used due to the heat associated with the incineration process.
In another embodiment a counter-balance grate controls the amount of air pressure within the fecal matter burn chamber to ensure a quick and even burn of the fecal matter.